762 Chap. 31. An Expofition upon rke Book of J o a. Verf.39. qr denyii á them their right. \ Hence obferve. Ccvetoufrrffefcnretiwes concluder in meerdersand iQ ufwallj ac- cornpanyfd with Cruelty. The covetous quickly grow crudi, and as they make more of gold and filver then they are ( they make riches their god, and are therefore called Idolaters) fo they make leffe of their bre. thren then they should ; they adore their gold as if it were a god, and they abuse their hrethren,as if they werenot fo good as heath. Salmon faith ( Pro: 12. io.) A righteous man regarde the life ofhis beull ; that is, he will not worke himunreasonably, much leffeworke him todeath, and he will not deny his beaft a reward when he bath done his worke, bat gives him fodder and food fit for him ; but an unrighteous covetous man bath littleor no regard to the life of his brother, but makes him worke and will not allow himwherewithall to live, which (ineffeá ) is the takingaway of his life. We read bow Covetoufneffe produced murder ir, kinde in the care of 7ljabeatb; Ahab that he might take his vineyard, tooke away his life ; as the Prophet charged' him ( Icings 2i. 19. ) Haft thoukill, and also taken pc ffe; ren ? And covetcaufneffe doth this often equivalently, afàliâing and troubling the Poore, till they eyther dy with griefe, or their lives are a dayly death to them Remember Chrifts Admonition, e- warsof Covetoufnef fe. No manknows whether covetoufneffe will carryhim; it bath set many downe in blood; and while they have over-loved and over-valued thedates of other men, they have hared their lives, and fpilt their blood, like water upon the ground. The loveof money is the root ofsü ovili, faith theApoftle ( I Tim: 6. io.) Who can tell what gall and wormewoodmay fpri g from thatbitter rooteboth to himfelfe and others ? How bafely doe many carry it ( through covetoufneffe) towards la- bourers? how bafely towards servants ? how bafely towards te- nants ? racking their rents and laying load upon them, till they perifh or expire ; yea how bafely doe many (through covetouf- neffe) carry it towards themfelves ; often denying themfelves ( while they haveabundance) the neceffarves of this life, and fometimes even letting themfelves dy to fave charges. Cove- toufneffe is the root-fin, which lob ,difclaimeth , while he dif- çleirnes
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